https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-687-The-Divine-Path-An-additional-chapter-dedicated-to-the-Alliance-Leader-the-Supreme-Im/12543125/
Chapter 688: Transforming Divine Sense
Chapter 688: Transforming Divine Sense
Why does the River Dragon know how to set up a divine formation?
Mo Hua frowned slightly.
Earlier, he had observed that the River Dragon's brushstrokes were clumsy, his spiritual sense was sluggish, and his wrist was stiff, indicating that he was not accustomed to drawing formations.
He was not a true formation master, and the "seal" formation on the well was probably something he had memorized and copied without understanding.
If that was the case, then someone must have taught him this divine formation.
Who could that be?
Mo Hua's divine sense raced as he went through the list of cultivators associated with the River Dragon and the human traffickers, his gaze finally narrowing on one person.
"Mr. Tu?"
The human traffickers, the sinful cultivators, the evil cultivators, and the demonic cultivators...
Among all these cultivators, the only one who might possess knowledge of such ancient and almost-lost advanced formations was that mysterious and elusive figure whom Mo Hua had only heard of and never met—Mr. Tu.
"Could the inheritance of the divine formation be in Mr. Tu's hands?"
Mo Hua was perplexed.
If his guess was correct, Mr. Tu was the mastermind behind the scenes, holding a high status and likely a "loyal henchman" of the Great Desolate Evil God.
It seemed incongruous that the divine formation, which harnessed the power of divine sense to restrain deities, would be in the hands of a lackey of the Evil God. Mo Hua's frown deepened.
Perhaps there was more to this than met the eye? Or perhaps there was some other connection at play?
As Mo Hua pondered, on the other side, the well seemed to have undergone a transformation of cause and effect, its aura changing drastically as if it had become an entirely different well.
Crimson blood mist rose from the bottom of the well.
This well was no longer the ordinary well of the fishing village; it was more like...
An entrance to a forbidden land.
The River Dragon prostrated himself at the edge of the well, offering three kowtows before picking up the dead fish and leaping directly into the well.
Mo Hua was startled.
The River Dragon had actually jumped in...
But then he found it strange that although the River Dragon had jumped into the well, there was no sound of water. It was as if the well had turned into a dry well at that moment.
Mo Hua waited for a moment, but when the River Dragon did not reappear, he cautiously crept to the edge of the well and peered inside.
The bottom of the well was completely obscured by the blood mist, resembling a blood-red forbidden zone.
It looked extremely dangerous.
Mo Hua glanced at the formation surrounding the well.
That was when he realized that the pale white bricks surrounding the well were not actually stones but polished bone bricks used specifically as a medium for evil formations.
They had been covered in dust and mixed in with regular stones, making them hard to distinguish at a glance.
And it was on these bone bricks that the River Dragon had drawn the evil formation patterns.
As Mo Hua examined these patterns, his expression suddenly changed as he noticed that the blood-colored patterns were gradually fading, and the traces of the formation were disappearing.
In an instant, Mo Hua understood.
This blood ink was designed to dissipate on its own, leaving no traces behind.
The River Dragon had used the blood ink to draw the formation patterns, unsealing the well, and then jumped into it.
After that, the blood ink would evaporate, the formation patterns would vanish, and the well would be resealed, closing off the entrance of blood mist.
This way, no one would know where he had gone or what secrets the well held.
"Indeed, his methods are meticulous," Mo Hua thought with a mix of admiration and concern.
Without further delay, he focused his attention and began to carefully record the blood-colored formation patterns at the edge of the well.
After a while, the formation patterns faded, and the blood mist flowed back into the well.
The well returned to its ordinary state, its water dark and silent.
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, his divine sense was a bit stronger, his comprehension a bit higher, his memory a bit better, and his understanding of formations a bit deeper.
If he had been just a bit slower, he wouldn't have been able to remember so many formation patterns in such a short time...
Mo Hua took out some paper and a brush and used ordinary spiritual ink to carefully copy the formation patterns that the River Dragon had drawn at the edge of the well to unseal it.
These patterns were likely a part of the legendary "divine formation."
Mo Hua studied them for a long time, his brow furrowing deeper.
He couldn't quite understand these patterns.
It seemed as if they were missing some fundamental underlying structure, making it impossible for him to grasp their meaning, the structure of the formation's core, or the flow of internal power.
It seemed that this formation was specifically designed for "formation blind" individuals, a purely formulaic formation that didn't require understanding, only memorization.
While this was beneficial for those who didn't understand formations, it was ironically difficult for a formation master like Mo Hua to comprehend.
For now, he could only commit these patterns to memory and hope to gain access to a complete and systematic inheritance of the divine formation in the future, allowing for a deeper understanding.
Of course, that was assuming he hadn't guessed wrong, and these formation patterns on the well were indeed part of the "divine formation."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with determination as he turned his gaze back to the well.
Indeed, the Evil God was connected to this well.
His earlier prediction had been correct.
On the surface, it was just a well, but in reality, it was a dual-purpose well.
One connected to the well of the fishing village, providing wishes, while the other was a dry well connected to the Evil God, receiving offerings.
This was also the first time Mo Hua had personally witnessed and come into contact with the Evil God's preaching.
He couldn't help but sigh deeply.
It was only because his divine sense had undergone a qualitative change and he had learned a great deal about the ways of the deities from Huang Shan Jun that he had been able to uncover the Evil God's tracks.
Otherwise, even as a Golden Core cultivator, if he had rashly entered the fishing village, he wouldn't have discovered anything.
Even if his consciousness had been polluted by the Evil God, he might have been plagued by evil obstacles and evil thoughts, all the while remaining oblivious to the truth...
Mo Hua glanced at the well once more.
The entrance to the truth lay right before him.
Now, the question was whether he should follow the River Dragon and venture into the depths of the well to uncover its secrets and the true form of the Evil God.
This way, he would have the option to advance or retreat, keeping the initiative in his hands.
Mo Hua once again recalled the process of the River Dragon drawing the formation patterns in his mind, then took out his brush and ink, and began to copy the patterns, attempting to emulate the River Dragon's technique on the bone bricks surrounding the well to unlock the seal.
Mo Hua worked quickly, and soon the formation patterns were complete, but the well remained still, with no reaction at all.
"As expected..."
Mo Hua felt a twinge of disappointment.
Using bone as a medium and blood as ink was a method of an evil formation.
Attempting to activate an evil formation with normal "spirit ink" instead of "blood ink" was futile...
But where could he get blood ink?
Blood ink required human blood for its preparation.
It seemed that it wasn't just a simple mixture; it also needed to be infused with some herbs prohibited by the Dao Court and prepared using some cruel and sinister methods.
The path to becoming an evil formation master began with the preparation of blood ink...
It could be said that taking the first step towards creating blood ink was already treading on the path of an evil formation master.
Mo Hua would not do something so foolish.
But without blood ink, how could he draw an evil formation?
Evil formation...
Mo Hua began to speculate step by step based on his extremely rich experience with first and second-rate formations.
Essentially, an evil formation was a formation that a formation master created through sinister means, allowing them to form a formation beyond their capabilities...
Or perhaps it was a way to enhance the power of a formation through sinister means.
Since the River Dragon was not a formation master and had limited spiritual sense, he must have resorted to unconventional and unorthodox methods to hastily construct the formation.
Thus, the formation patterns drawn by the River Dragon contained both "evil" and "divine" elements.
Borrowing from the "evil" path to approach the "divine" path.
That was why the River Dragon was able to successfully draw these formation patterns.
As for Mo Hua, he was neither proficient in the "divine" path nor could he borrow from the "evil" path, so these formation patterns were useless to him.
What exactly did "divine" formation entail?
Mo Hua racked his brains but still couldn't figure it out.
"Then let's think about it the other way around..."
What was the purpose of a "divine" formation?
To restrain or seal a deity? Since it was meant to restrain or seal a deity, it must have the power of "divine sense" that could rival a deity.
After all, mortals and deities were inherently different.
There was a qualitative difference between the spiritual sense of mortals and the divine sense of deities.
If that was the case...
Mo Hua's eyes widened as a startling realization hit him.
Could it be that a "divine" formation was a way to transform a mortal's "spiritual sense" into a power comparable to the "divine sense" of a deity?
The more Mo Hua thought about it, the more convinced he became.
In that case...
He already possessed a "divine sense" akin to that of a deity!
So what else was there to transform? Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he continued his train of thought...
Although his spiritual sense had undergone a qualitative change, when drawing formations, he still relied on his previous habits and called upon his spiritual sense...
So now, if he deliberately infused his "divinized" spiritual sense into the formation, wouldn't that in itself be equivalent to a "divine" formation?
Mo Hua's eyes were suddenly opened to a new understanding, and without further ado, he immediately put his theory to the test.
He closed his eyes to calm his mind and summoned the pale golden divine sense, akin to blood threads, that had been produced in his sea of consciousness due to the consumption of "divine marrow."
Then, Mo Hua began to draw the evil formation patterns left by the River Dragon around the well using ordinary spirit ink.
The pale golden divine sense flowed with Mo Hua's brushstrokes, permeating the formation patterns.
Mo Hua's brushstrokes were infused with a pale golden radiance, a manifestation of "divine sense" that transcended the level of ordinary cultivators' spiritual sense and was invisible to most people.
Mo Hua worked meticulously and cautiously.
When he finished drawing the formation this time, the formation indeed took effect.
Mo Hua could faintly sense that the formation patterns he had drawn contained a mysterious "divine power" that resonated with the bone bricks, drawing out a certain evil power from the depths of the well, which was gradually released...
The well trembled, its aura changing abruptly as crimson blood mist rose from its depths once more.
Mo Hua's expression brightened.
Success!
He had unlocked the door to the lair of the Evil God! In other words, he now held the key to the Evil God's lair in his hands!
"Should I go in?"
Mo Hua gazed at the blood mist swirling in the well but decided against taking the risk. Instead, he threw a little tiger into the well to test the waters.
The little tiger landed without making a splash.
Mo Hua nodded slightly.
This indicated that the well was dry, with no water inside.
Using his spiritual sense, Mo Hua controlled the little tiger to continue exploring, encountering no obstacles or signs of cultivators or other structures.
Mo Hua furrowed his brow.
"Could this well be empty?"
After a while, there was a sudden "plop," as if the little tiger had fallen into water.
But in the next instant, an extremely powerful force crushed the little tiger into smithereens, as far as Mo Hua's perception could tell.
Mo Hua's heart sank.
What exactly was that...
A cultivator? Or a demonic beast?
Was this the true "guard dog" at the Evil God's doorstep?
Mo Hua felt a headache coming on.
It was too dangerous...
After some more contemplation, Mo Hua sighed in resignation. "Never mind, I'll figure out another plan..."
The Evil God, who had gained a foothold and was spreading its influence, was undoubtedly a formidable foe, not something he could handle alone.
Mo Hua felt a pang of reluctance, but with no other options, he decided to leave for the time being.
Before departing, he used the Spirit Eradicating Liquid to erase the formation patterns he had drawn around the well.
With the formation patterns erased, the well returned to its original state.
He didn't have much time and couldn't take any more leave, so he could only return to Tai Xu Gate.
...
Gu Chang Huai helped Mo Hua take another day off, again using the excuse of helping the Dao Court with their formations.
After Mo Hua returned to the sect, Gu Chang Huai sent him a message, asking, "Where did you go?"
"I went to catch the evil god..."
Mo Hua had wanted to reply truthfully, but there was no way Gu Uncle would believe that—unless he too became parasitized by the evil god someday.
"I tracked down the River Dragon and found clues about the human traffickers."
Mo Hua gave him a reason that Gu Uncle would more easily accept.
Sure enough, Gu Chang Huai's spirit lifted as he asked, "Where? In the small fishing village?"
"Mhm." Mo Hua nodded. "They definitely have a base in the small fishing village, but I still haven't found the entrance..."
Gu Chang Huai fell silent for a moment before saying something unprecedented, "You've worked hard..."
Without sharp divine sense, expertise in stealth, and a meticulous mind like Mo Hua's, it would be basically impossible for the Dao Court to keep an eye on the River Dragon discreetly and then trace his connections to the human traffickers.
Mo Hua was a little surprised.
Gu Uncle actually said "you've worked hard" to him.
Now he wondered if Gu Uncle had been parasitized by the evil god...
But it was a good thing to have Gu Uncle's gratitude. It would make it easier to ask for favors from the Dao Court in the future.
Mo Hua said, "On the next break, I'll go look again and see if I can track down the River Dragon."
"Okay," Gu Chang Huai replied, "I'll send a few more people to keep an eye on the small fishing village..."
"Mhm." Mo Hua nodded.
Their conversation ended there.
After that, Mo Hua attended his classes as usual, spending his free time pondering over the divine formation.
The world of formations was vast and profound.
Having a legacy was certainly beneficial.
But if one didn't have a legacy, they had to learn to find their own way.
With his understanding of the Dao of Formations, his experience with formations, and his foundation in formation theory, he could piece together clues, separate the wheat from the chaff, and constantly reflect, seeking the unknown truths of the Dao and mastering even deeper layers of formations...
This was what his master had taught him through words and deeds during their travels.
As for the divine formation, it was profound and mysterious, almost lost to the annals of history.
Mo Hua didn't have a legacy for it, but through his trip to the small fishing village, he had learned from the River Dragon's crude and rudimentary formation patterns, and by applying what he learned on the spot, he had managed to open the door to the evil god's well...
Mo Hua made some clearer deductions: The divine formation was a type of formation that 'transformed' a person's divine sense through the formation, achieving a certain 'qualitative change', and then used this to restrain the deity.
Mo Hua wasn't quite sure if this 'qualitative change' brought about by the formation was the same as the qualitative change his divine sense had already undergone.
After all, he hadn't learned the true divine formation yet.
But the fact that the divine formation could restrain deities meant that this 'divine sense' transformed from a cultivator's divine sense, even if it wasn't as powerful as a true 'qualitative change', would still be quite formidable.
In a sense, it was a true divine sense technique that could rival the power of deities.
Mo Hua sighed in admiration.
The ancient formation master who, in ancient times, had comprehended the heavens and earth, understood the principles of divine sense, and created the divine formation, was truly terrifying...
To be able to research and develop such a formation...
This was the true embodiment of mortals understanding the heavenly Dao and challenging the power of deities with their flesh and blood.
Mo Hua felt a deep respect.
But along with this, he also had a doubt...
If an ordinary cultivator's divine sense could be 'transformed' through the divine formation into a power that could rival deities...
Then what would his divine sense, which had already undergone a certain level of qualitative change and approached that of a deity, become after being 'transformed' by the divine formation?
Could it seal an evil god stronger than himself? Or perhaps it could...
Mo Hua tried to imagine, and then he was suddenly startled by his own thoughts, shocked by the direction of his imagination.
Mo Hua shook his head repeatedly.
He mustn't get ahead of himself...
All of this was still just speculation, and it might not be true at all.
"First, I need to find a way to get my hands on the true divine formation and study it, and then I can consider other things..."
"Formation masters must always be down-to-earth and practical!"
Mo Hua nodded to himself.
The only clue he had for now was the River Dragon.
As long as he could catch the River Dragon, he might be able to obtain the complete divine formation.
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
But... how was he supposed to get into that well filled with blood mist?
Thinking of this, Mo Hua frowned in worry.
He wasn't afraid of evil spirits, but those beasts lurking in the shadows, or the demonic cultivator gangs, were a problem.
If he were to look for help...
Gu Uncle was a Golden Core cultivator, but he didn't believe in the existence of evil gods.
And even if he was a Golden Core cultivator, if he were to be parasitized by the evil god, the outcome would likely be grim.
For now, that well filled with blood mist seemed like a place he couldn't venture into...
Mo Hua sighed.
"I'll have to think of another way..."
"Or maybe I should take the time to ask Huang Shan Jun again?"
Mo Hua pondered.
In the following days, Mo Hua cultivated, studied formations, and thought about the matter of the evil god's well in the small fishing village in his free time.
A few days later, he suddenly received news from Gu Chang Huai: "Something happened in the small fishing village..."
Mo Hua was taken aback. "What happened?"
Gu Chang Huai said, "Two children from the village were kidnapped by the River Dragon. No one knows where they were taken."
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat, and he had a bad feeling about this, but he still asked, "Whose children...?"
"I heard..." Gu Chang Huai replied, "that they were Old Yu's two grandsons..."
(End of Chapter)
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